Miss Universe 2012 contestants in gowns, swimwear

December 13, 2012 |SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

The 89 women vying for the crown pose for official photographers in evening gowns and swimwear

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Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island, Miss USA 2012, is one of 89 women
competing to become the 61st Miss Universe, a pageant that began in 1952
when the Catalina swimwear company had a falling out with the Miss
America pageant and started its own competition. The pageant was
obtained by Donald Trump in 1996 and is now a joint venture of Trump and NBC, which will televise the finals on Dec. 19. The 89 contestants will face a panel of judges, mostly executives in
the beauty, modeling and show business arenas, on Dec. 13 in preliminary
competition. The contestants are judged on their appearance in evening
gowns and swimwear, plus their presence in personal interviews. The
field is thus narrowed to 16 finalists, some number of which are
personally handpicked by Trump and Miss Universe Organization
executives, and one who is picked by online fan voting. The televised
finals thus begin with the announcement of the final 16, and a
completely different panel of judges -- celebrities, mostly -- will trim
the field to 10, and then five after swimwear and evening gown
presentations. The final five then field questions from the judges
before final scores are tallied and a winner is crowned.

1of180

Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island, Miss USA 2012, is one of 89 women
competing to become the 61st Miss Universe, a pageant that began in 1952
when the Catalina swimwear company had a falling out with the Miss
America pageant and started its own competition. The pageant was
obtained by Donald Trump in 1996 and is now a joint venture of Trump and NBC, which will televise the finals on Dec. 19. The 89 contestants will face a panel of judges, mostly executives in
the beauty, modeling and show business arenas, on Dec. 13 in preliminary
competition. The contestants are judged on their appearance in evening
gowns and swimwear, plus their presence in personal interviews. The
field is thus narrowed to 16 finalists, some number of which are
personally handpicked by Trump and Miss Universe Organization
executives, and one who is picked by online fan voting. The televised
finals thus begin with the announcement of the final 16, and a
completely different panel of judges -- celebrities, mostly -- will trim
the field to 10, and then five after swimwear and evening gown
presentations. The final five then field questions from the judges
before final scores are tallied and a winner is crowned.